**sharyn alfonsi** just exposed the hidden AI-generated personas used by Russia's most dangerous troll farm—here's what the "60 Minutes" investigation revealed that could change online trust forever.
- The "60 Minutes" correspondent teamed up with cybersecurity researchers to infiltrate a Russian disinformation network, uncovering how it uses AI chatbots to create fake profiles that mimic real American voters.
- Alfonsi's team discovered these bots can now generate personalized responses in real time, making them nearly impossible to detect by social media algorithms or casual users.
- Key evidence shows the troll farm transitioned from human operators to AI after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, allowing them to produce millions of deceptive posts daily without fatigue.
- The investigation explains how these AI personas target divisive topics like elections and immigration, then amplify fringe viewpoints to fracture public discourse—a tactic Alfonsi calls "weaponized digital empathy."
- Exclusive interviews with a former Russian operator reveal the operation's ultimate goal: to desensitize Americans to automated propaganda until they can't distinguish truth from algorithmic fiction.